Moonshine makes a potent comeback in Central Florida bars

For many, the name conjures images of backwoods entrepreneurs of the Prohibition era who transported and sold moonshine illegally.

But drinkers today no longer need to go under the table to get their fix of the harsh, often potent, form of whiskey.

Moonshineis making a comeback at liquor stores and nightspots across the country, including a pair of Orlando bars that offer the spirit as their signature drink. And makers and retailers are hoping the "bad boy" reputation sticks.

"People really, really love it," said Chris Noble, the manager of downtown's Hooch and Shine nightspots. "They had that feeling in their head that it's moonshine, it's the strongest thing, it's going to make you go blind. It's that crazy-strong alcohol."

Flavored moonshine shots are a fixture at the two bars in the Wall Street nightlife complex. Introduced at Hooch in 2012, the drinks are available in a variety of flavors such as apple pie and lemonade. According to Noble, the shots are strong — roughly 75 percent alcohol — and the combined venues go through as many as 200 jars of moonshine a week.

The alcohol's kick appeals to Orlando resident Chance Kirkpatrick.

"It'll put hair on your chest," said the 34-year-old radio intern. "It's one of those shots like ouzo [a Greek aperitif], where you've got to breathe out the fumes as soon as you drink it."

Moonshine's popularity runs roughly parallel to the rise of craft cocktails and their complex ingredients and exotic flavors. But the similarities stop there, said Kaitlin McGavock, a bartender at The Courtesy in Orlando.

"In the craft-cocktail scene, we focus so much on product and the craft of distilling," she said. Moonshine "is kind of devoid of all of that."

The moonshine trend has been picking up steam since the late 2000s, when changes in liquor laws in some states allowed distilleries such asTennessee'sOle Smoky to make and distribute variations of family moonshine recipes. These versions are usually 50 percent alcohol by volume, or 20 percent for flavored varieties.

Ole Smoky spokesmen say sales have increased 300 percent in Florida during the past year. Founder Joe Baker said the alcohol content and taste are consistent with the batches his family produced in earlier, less-legal days.

"We're able to control the elements a little bit better, I would say, just because of some advances in technology," he said. "I think that's part of the allure, too ... it's done exactly the same way that folks here in the mountains have done for many, many years."

Moonshine is distilled from corn mash, much like many other forms of American whiskey. The difference is in the aging process: Common whiskeys such as Jack Daniel's may undergo 10 years or more of aging before bottling. Moonshine can be ready in days.

Whether drinkers prefer it for the novelty or the taste, the history behind the 'shine can't be denied.

"I think it's something that's been gone for so long, that people just really haven't talked about in so many years," says Noble. "People drink it and they think of the old days."